Flange pipe coupling



D. SOUTER ET AL l FLANGE PIPE COUPLING Nav. 11, 1924. 1,514,863

'Filed Feb. 3. 1921 i Y 'I l Patented Nov. li.,

DRACOS SOUTER AND`WILLIAVI lVZ. VTILKNSON, OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.

rnanen rrrn courtrne.

Application filed February 3, 1921. Serial No. 442,210.

scription of the invention, such as will enable othersr skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

The present inventionrelates to improvements in flange pipe couplings and it more j aarticularlyrelates to a type oi pipe coupling in which the flanges areleft unperorated and are secured together by the use oifbolts that lie eXteriorly ofy thel'langes to the end thatthe gasket maybe left impertorate, and for this reasonk stronger and less likely to be disrupted or blown out by heavy pressure within the'pipef` n i The invention is an improvement over those pipe flange couplings in which the bolts go directly throughy the -flanges and through perforations made in the gasket.4

Another object of the invention resides in 'providing a simple andk economical construction ot bolts and clainps kacting in conjunction with peculiarly 'formed pipe flanges.

9L further object ot the invention resides in providing a` quick detachable and removable flangepipe coupling in which the two flanges need notneeessarily be brought together in a certain relation, as required when bolt holes or pertorations must be made to aline, but accordingr toV my invention, the exterior bolts and their clamps are attachable to the flanges in whatsoever angular position these 'flanges may accidentally assume when brought together.

si still iurtherobject of theinvention resides in providing a flange' pipe coupling with exterior clamping devices which have the beneiicial result of securing better and tighter coupling, while at the same time providing flanges of smaller diameter than heretofore generally used.

With the Jforegoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.`

Fig. lis a top plan view, with one of ,the pipes shown in section7 of an improved flange pipe coupling constructed according to the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough with the two pipes broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l and 2 designate adjoining ends of two pipes which are to be coupled together. These pipes are threaded respectively as indicated at 3 and l in order to receive the flanges 5 and 6, which are internally threaded toengage with the threads 3 and Li.

The flanges 5 and 6 have shoulders 7 and 8 projecting therefrom and provided with threadsy so as to form an extended bearing for the flanges along the pipe section. Y' gasket 9 is received between the two flanges 5 and 6 and yboth the flanges and the gasket are lei-t without bolt holes or perforations andin general, these parts are entirely imperforate so that they form a compact, uniform and uninterrupted joint oit a high leakproof quality resisting great pressures from within the pipes 1 and 2.

The liange y5 is provided with a shoulder 10 directed toward the companion flangey 6 radial expansion when subjected to pressure from within the pipe, or compression due to the binding together of the flanges 5 and 6. ln other words, the flanges, together with the shoulder 10. form a substantially closed chamber in which the gasket 9 is seated. f

The gasket is preferably of a compressible character in order to yield when the two flanges 5 and 6 are drawn together thereon.

According to the invention, theflanges 5 and@ are further made with curved outer faces 12 and '13. The arc on which this curvature is struck need not be of any specitic variety, but may be changed to suit various conditions, it being understood that the sharper the curvature the greater will be the binding etl'ect of the clamps which are indicated at 14; and l5, and which are provided with noses 16 and 17 adapted tol come in contact with the curved faces 12 and 13 of the flanges.

The noses 16 and 17 are rounded and provided with clearance spaces 18'and 19 for the purpose of receiving the peripheral edge portions of the curved walls 12 and tensionsQO and 21, Which project toward one another and provide large bearing surfaces upon the bolts 22 which pass through openings made in the clamps.

These extensions 20 Land 21 lie opposite the noses 16 and 17 and counteract any tendency' of the clamps to cant upon the bolts. v

'ln use the device is assembled in themanner indicated in the drawing, it being understood that as many ot the bolts and clamps may be used. as is ne"essary. VThe number ot bolts will depend largely upon the pressure to 'be sustained Within the pipe, the. character andqualityot the gasket and many other considerations oft usage, which will tary Widely in different cases The clamps 1li and engage the outer curved faces 5 and 6 Without necessitating` the pro'ision oi" openings in the flanges, and Without requiring 'the per-torating. or mutilation in any Way of the lgasket Thebolts lie entirely exteriorly oitboth the gasket and iianges and they act through the Oyerhangingy noses 16 and 17 'to secure the liangcs tightly together and to pnt the gasket under the necessary compression. l

llt Will be understood that by virtue of the curvature. given the faces 1Q and 13 ot". the flanges and the curvature" given the noses 16 and 17 ofthe clamps, both the clamps and the bolts Willtend to ride 'in- Wardly toward the center oi the eines as the ends 25 are tightened. his will permit an interlocking engagement et the bolts and clamps With thc iianges, and mo ver it will exert greatpressure upon the gasket 9.

Of course this will canse great deal or pressure to deyolye'upon the v'noses 16 mid` 17 which will exert a tendenryto cant or roelrv the anges about the bolts. This tendency, however, is adequately counteracted by the entensio'ns 20' and 21'Which y.reinforce the opposite portions of the clamp-s and prevent any tendencyv of the same to moveor become otherwise distorted orinjured. Thesey extensions distribute the stresses and 'strains set upin the material over an increased area of the bolt and there for compensate for the forces adcinc` upon the noses. l

The clamps, together with the bolts and nuts, form a unitin tliemselyestvhich may be purchased in any suitable quantities, While the ilanges also are readily attachable and detachable from the usual threaded pipe ot two sections of pipe to be oined together,

gasket placed and compressed between the adjacent faces of said flanges, the remote faces of the flanges being curved radially, and a number of clamps placed aty intervals about the circumferential edges ot "said flanges, each of said clampscomprising two substantially spherical members rounded noses adapted to come into' 'conta-ct with the curved remote ltacos of said flanges, said clamp members having registering openings therethrough, a bolt made separate trom said tivo clamp members and freely 'fitted through the registering openings therein for drawing the clamp members` to- ,cjether upon said ianges and for causing the rounded noses to ride radiallyy inward upon the curved remote faces of said flange-s. said clamp members having clearance spaces extending inwardly of the noses and itur ther provided with extensions opposite vthe noses and being considerably longer than said noses, said extensions of the two clamp members approaching close to one another at the outer sides of the bolt and extending laterally of* the bolt, the opening through said clamp members adapted to snugly lit the bolt. f 'l Lenanos scoren. f WILLIAM z; WILKINSON.

having 

